India’s grounded airline Jet Airways, acquired by UAE-based Indian businessman Murari Lal Jalan-led Jalan Kalrock Consortium (JKC), has announced commencing the process for hiring pilots for various aircraft types, ahead of its proposed re-launch plan for the carrier by September this year.
Jet Airways on Tuesday took to Twitter to share, “Inviting pilots who are current and type-rated on the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737NG or MAX aircraft, to apply to join us in creating history as we prepare to relaunch India’s classiest airline.”
“Good things come to those that wait – Jet Airways will be flying again soon!” the airline’s tweet added.
Industry sources, however, said Jet Airways, which reportedly received air operator certificate from aviation regulator DGCA on May 20, is yet to place orders for aircraft with either Airbus or Boeing.
However, Reuters reported that Jet Airways is near a deal to buy 50 A220 jets from Airbus.
Currently, the once largest Indian airline by market share is said to have just one operational aircraft – a B737NG, in its fleet.
Jet Airway’s commercial operations stayed suspended since April 17, 2019 as it flew into bankruptcy.
After the Jalan-Kalrock consortium won the bid from India’s insolvency court – National Company Law Tribunal – to acquire the ailing airline, the new management has indicated that it intended to recommence commercial operations in the quarter ending September 2022.
“Jet Airways 2.0 aims at restarting short-haul international operations by the third-fourth quarter of 2022,” Jalan, the proposed non-executive chairman of Jet Airways, said late last year.
He also said the airline would first commence with domestic operations in India ahead of starting international operations.
“Our plan is to have over 50 aircraft in three years and more than 100 in five years, which will fit perfectly well with the short-term and long-term business plan of the consortium. The aircraft are being selected based on competitive long-term leasing solutions,” Jalan had said then.
Though the new management of Jet Airways has not spelt out details of their plans for international operations, industry sources indicated that the airline could be looking at the Gulf sector for its initial re-run.
Jet Airways operated a large number of flights to Abu Dhabi – its then regional base – and the wider Middle East before the airline ran into financial troubles and was grounded in April 2019.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways held a 24 percent equity stake in Airways when the carrier was grounded due to mounting debts and went into insolvency.
Murari Lal Jalan, the UAE-based entrepreneur, who runs multiple businesses including paper, mining, trading, FMCG, and renewable energy, earlier expressed the confidence that Jet Airways would make a strong comeback.
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